The Reliable Nuclear Fuel Services Working Group (RNFSWG) supports the co-operation of member countries in efforts to enhance reliable, commercially based front and back end fuel services that provide options for developing nuclear energy, while reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation. The focus of the work, in recent years, has been on the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, exploring the issues associated with spent fuel management, storage and disposal. The group could also explore interconnections between back and front end of the fuel cycle in the form of reuse of recycled fuel. These efforts include furthering the potential for shared, multinational solutions to the back-end challenges facing member countries.

OBJECTIVE

The RNFSWG is established to carry out work on the issues specified in the Scope section below to support cooperation of the IFNEC members to reach the objective to establish international frameworks to enhance reliable, cost-effective fuel services and supplies to the world market, providing options for generating nuclear energy and fostering development while reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation.

SCOPE

The RNFSWG has focused in recent years on issues related to the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, in particular:

• · Spent fuel management, storage and disposal.
• · Spent fuel recycling and reuse of recylced materials.
• · Front and back end connections through recycling.
• · Approaches towards multinational repositories.
• · Financial needs for spent fuel storage and disposal.
• · Dual track approach: technical and legal aspects.